Internal-combustion engine



June 5, 1945 T. o. srRAuss I INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed March 22, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 5, 1945. T. o. sTRAUss INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed March A22, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INK y Zfzeodor'e O. Straws.

June 5, 1945.

T. o. sTRAUss 2,377,459

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed March 22, 1940 4 Sheets-'Sheet 3 .Theodore Q Srczuas..

June 5, 1945. T. Q. sTRAuss I INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed March 22, 1940 'l 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 5, 1945 INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Y Theodore 0. Strauss, New York, N. Y.

Application March 22, 1940, Serial No. 325,461

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to internal combustion engines, and has as its purpose to increase materially the operating emciency of such engines. To this end a main feature of the invention is the provision of what I shall term a compensator receiver in connection with the combustion chamber of the engine, this receiver being charged at explosion or peak pressure and returning pressure to the said chamber during the power stroke so that a substantially constant high pressure is caused to exist in the chamber for a certain prolonged period. I thus increase the power of the engine and reduce the engine temperature, vibration and noise. As a result of the temperature reduction, the exhaust is re1a' tively cool, and'hence may be favorably utilized to drive an exhaust turbine. The invention is applicable to any engine of the type having a combustion chamber dened by a iixed member and a movable power transmitting member, the

ordinary example being the cylinder and the piston.

Y In order that the invention. may be clearly understood, I shall describe it in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show Figure 11 is an elevation and section of a receiver equipped with steam generating means.

Figure 12' is a section of an engine cylinder and receiver equipped for the supply of air under pressure to the combustion chamber.

Figure 13 is a section of an engine cylinder and receiver showing auxiliary means -for supplying pressure to the receiver.

Figure 14 is a section of an engine cylinder and receiver, with modiiied valve control means.

Figure 15 illustrates means for varying the capacity of a receiver.

Figure 16 is a section of an engine cylinder andv receiver, the latter being located in the cylinder head, and

Figure 17 is a diagram.

Referring to the drawings, and first to Figure 1, reference numeral 20 designates the cylinder ofan internal combustion engine and reference numeral 2i' the cylinder head, which, as shown, has a fiat lower face normal to the cylinder axis. Reference numeral 22 designates a piston which,

' as shown, has a nat top face normal to the cylinthe invention in illustrative and practical em bodiment.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of an internal combustion engine equipped with a compensator receiver according to the present invention, the receiver and cylinder and piston of the engine being shown nsection, and the intake conduit being broken away to show a certain intake control feature.

Figure 2 is an axial section of a form of valve which may be utilized for the control of the connection between the combustion-chamber and the receiver in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a. face view ofthe valve of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an axial section of another form of valve and mounting means therefor.

Figure 5 is a face view of the valve of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of -a portion of an engine equipped with the receiver of the present der axis, and its travel is such that at the top of its stroke there is only a minute clearance between vit and the cylinder head. Consequently, at the top of the piston stroke the combustion chamv ber has, for all intents and purposes, disappeared.

invention and also with a starting accumulator. l

Figure 7 is a section on line 1-1 of Figure 6. Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Figure 6. Figure 9 is a plan view of a multiple-cylinder engine equipped with the receiver vof the present invention, with starting bottles, with a kinetic super-charger, and with an exhaust turbine.

Figure 10 is a plan view of a modied form of receiver which may be applied to 'a multiplecylinder engine.

The cylinder head has a passage 23 provided with an inlet opening controlled by an inlet valve- 2l, the passage being in connection with a, conduit; 25 leading from a carburetor 26. 'I'he conduit 25 has a portion of square section provided with an opening controlled by an arcuate closure member 21 mounted on a rock shaft 2l. In the position shown the opening is closed so that fuel can flow through the conduit for normal operation. lIf closuure 21 ,is swung ninety de grees in a counterclockwise direction, the carburetor will be shut off, and air only will be drawn in through the opening in the conduit sidewall. If the closure is swung ninety degrees in a clockwise direction, the intake conduit will be closed. The latter dispositions are utilizable when it is desired to secure a braking action.

The cylinder head is provided also with an exhaust passage 29 and with an exhaust opening controlled by an exhaust valve 30. The intake "'34 on the usual cam shaft 35 driven at half the and exhaust valves are respectively operated through rocker arms 3| and 32 from cams 33 and speed 'of the crank shaft.

'Ihe cylinder head is provided with a 'further passage 36 in connection with the compensator receiver l1 which is otherwisel 0.1mm ma Mmstructed so as to withstand high internal pressure. Passage 36 is in connection with the combustion chamber of the engine through an opening 36, which is adapted to be closed by a valve 39. The latter has a stem 46 slidably guided in bushings at the ends of a hollow box 4I secured in the top wall of the cylinder head and provided with inlet and outlet connections 42 and 43 -for a cooling fluid. Valve 39 is adapted to be closed by means of a rocker arm 44 actuated by a cam 45 on cam shaft 35.

Assuming that the piston 22 is at the beginning of the intake stroke of its four-stroke cycle, it.

will descend, and valve 24 being op'en and the closure 21 being in the position illustrated, fuel will be drawn into the cylinder. At the top of the succeeding compression stroke, the pressure will cause valve 39 to lift and this lift will be completed as the explosion occurs at or near the top limit of the piston travel. Combustion occurs in the very small combustion space, but for the most part in the receiver 31. During this period a low part of cam 45 has been over rocker arm 44, so that free upward movement of valve 36 has been permitted, and after the explosion has occurred, gases will iiow back through the opening 38 to drive the piston on its power stroke. After a piston travel corresponding to the first forty-five degrees of the power stroke, as here contemplated, cam 45 closes valve 36. After a few repetitions of the cycle, peak pressure exists in the receiver and willremain substantially constant as long as the engine is running.

I have found that this 'substantially constant pressure can be maintained onlyif the volume of the receiver is considerably larger than the cylinder volume, and by cylinder volume I mean the maximum volume when the piston is at the bottom of its stroke. I have stated above that the valve 39, which I shall callthe receiver valve,

remains open during the tlrst'forty-ve degrees` of the power stroke. With this opening period I am able tosecure the benefits of the invention sents the expansion curve of the conventional engine. This graphically shows the considerable prolongation of substantially peak pressure obtained by the present invention.

when the receiver volume is eight times that of the maximum cylinder volume, although I have not found that this volumetric relation is necessarily critical. I give it merely by way of example. Since a substantially constant pressure is maintained in the receiver, it follows that the piston is being aected by a substantially constant pressure during the ilrst forty-five degrees of the power stroke. In other words, instead of a momentary peak, there is prolonged peak, with consequent ,greater power.

The forty-five degrees stroke at constant preswith ordinary piston clearance, I have found that there is a considerable drop in peak pressure and a consequent drop in mean effective pressure. By reducing the clearance to a minimum, normal peak pressure is obtained. In Figure 17, X represents the expansion curve of an engine, having minimum clearance, equipped with a receiver having the volumetric relation, above discussed, to the compression chamber. The line Y repre- The receiver 31 may be equipped with a spark plug 20a which operates constantly or intermittently to cause the combustion of any live fuel in the receiver.

The receiver valve is, of course, subjected to very high temperature and may be cooled in the manner shown in Figure 1. In Figures 2 and 3 I have shown a valve particularly designed for efficient heat conduction to the cooling chamber. In these figures the valve comprises an integral stem portion 46 and head portion 41. The lower part of the head portion is recessed and the stem portion is provided with an axial bore, the recess and bore having a filling 48 of any suitable highly heat conductive material, such as copper or silver, the recess being closed by a welded steel disk 49.

Superiorresults as to cooling can be secured by the use of a valve such as is shown in Figures 4 and 5. Here the valve has a stem portion 53 and head portion 5I provided with a through longitudinal passage. The free face of the head portion is. recessed and a flanged sleeve or liner 50a is pushed into the passage, the flange being engaged by a welded ring 52 to hold the liner in place, the ring providing a conical valve seat. A valve disk 53 is cooperable with the seat and has a'stem 54 guided in a spider 55 secured within the liner 50a, the disk being normally seated by a compression spring 56. The stem 50 is slidably guided in a hollow cooling box 51 and is pressed downwardly by means of a spring 58, so that the head portion 5l is normally seated. In use the copper liner conducts heat to the cooling space when the valve is lifted, and on the intake stroke air is drawn through the hollow stem and head, opening valve disk 53 against the action of spring 56 so that an air cooling action is additionally secured. Being spring pressedto closed position, it will, of course, be necessary to provide means for moving the receiver valve to and holding it in open position, and suitable means for accomplishing this will be described hereinafter in connection with the embodiment shown in Figures 6 to 8.

Referring to Figure 6, the combustion chamber is shown as being in connection through the opening 38 with a compensator receiver 31a, and a conduit 59 leads from the latter to a starting accumulator 60 of considerably larger capacity, as here shown, than the receiver. Flow through conduit 55 is controlled by a valve 6| which is shown in closed position. Between the receiver 31a and valve 6 I, a small tube 62 is connected into the conduit 59 and leads through a check valve 63 to the interior of the accumulator 60. Valve 6l being closed, pressure will seep into the accumulatorfrom the receiver past check valve 63 when the motor is running and starting pressure will be built up in the accumulator, and this pressure will approach the peak pressure even when the gases have cooled. In order to start the motor, valve 6l is opened and pressure flows through conduit 59 and the receiver to the engine. In order to utilize this starting pressure, valve 39a must be mechanically opened.

On the stem 40a of the receiver valve is an abutment 64, under which is engaged one end of a rocker arm 65 which carries a roller 66 for cooperation with a cam 61. 'I'he cam 61 is free on cam shaft 66 between two fixed collars 69 and 10,

and a lost motion clutch is provided between the cam and the collar 69 by lugs 1| on the latter engaged in recesses between lugs 12 on the former. As shaft 6l rotates the clutch members come into engagement and the cam rise swings' the rocker arm 95 upwardly, thus lifting the receiver valve to the position shown in Figures 6 and 8. As soon as -the point of the cam passes the lowermost point of the roller B6, a valve spring 13 forces the receiver valve to closed position, and its action causes cam 91 to be snapped in clockwise direction, Figure 8, thus immediately freeing the roller i6 so that the valve immediately closes. The cam opens the receiver valve at the beginning of the stroke. and the spring snaps the valve to closed position after a fortyiive degree rotation of the crank shaft, or at any other point which may be chosen. l In order to utilize the starting pressure, it will be understood that in a single cylinder engine, it may be necessary to turn the crank shaft so as to open the receiver valve.

In Figure 9, I have shown a four cylinder internal combustion engine 14 with its combustion spaces connected by individual conduits 15, 16, 11 and 10 into a common receiver 19. Here, as before, eachcylinder is equipped with a receiver valve so that the receiver is placed in connection with the combustion chamber during a predetermined period. In a four cylinder engine, there will heno overlapping of these open periods, it they are suillciently small, and the'receiver need have no greater volume than as though it were associated with a single cylinder. Even with an eight cylinder in -line engine, there will be no overlapping when the receiver valves are each opened only during a forty-five degree turn of the crank shaft. If the opening period or the number of cylinders is such that there is an over' lapping of open periods, thi will not affect the necessary size of the receive for the reason that if a plurality of receiver valves are about to close, thus still drawing from the receivers, an equal number will be opening at the explosion point. Consequently, if the volumetric ratio of eight tov one between the receiver and thel cylinder of a single cylinder engine has been chosen, the same receiver is equally well yutilizable in connection with any number of cylinders having the same size as that of the single cylinder. On the oth@I l hand, with a multi-cylinder engine, and especially one which is run at constant speed over long periods, it may be desirable to increase the volumetric ratio substantially beyond eight to one.

In Figure 9 reference numerals 00. and 0| designate starting bottles or accumulators which may be charged either from a cylinder or cylinders, or from the compensator receiver through valve controlled conduits as at 92 and 93. Starting pressure is admitted from the starting bottles through a valve controlled conduit 8l to the receiver 19 and thence to the several cylinders.

In Figure 9, I have also shown a valved conduit 85 leading from the receiver to a kinetic super-charger 06 and I have also shown an ex-y haust turbine 01 in connection with the exhaust manifold.

In Figure 10, I have shown a receiver applicable to the engine of Figure 9 and comprising four units Il, 09. 90 and 9| intercommunieating through valved connections 92, 93 and 94. In the case of a dead cylinder, its receiver can be cut oi! from the others.

Figure 11 shows acompensator receiver 95 provided with a water jacket 96 and with water tubes 91 for the purpose of generating steam forY the cylinder volume. When the receiver is over` size, it maybe necessary to insulate it to prevent over-cooling of the gases.

In Figure 12 reference numeral |00 designates a cylinder having its combustion chamber in connection with a compensator receiver |0| through a receiver valve |02. 'I'he piston |03 is provided with upwardly opening spring-seated check valves |04 and |05 and the rectilinearly reciprocating piston rod |06 is passed through a bottom closure plate |01 which is provided with upwardly opening spring seated check valves |08 and |09. When the piston moves upwardly, it draws air through the Valves |08 and |09, and when the piston moves down again the air is compressed until valves |04 and |05 open. the compressed air then 'passing to the combustion chamber to raise the pressure in the latter.

In Figure 13 the arrangement is the same, except that the piston ||0 is solid and the bottom closure plate is provided withone upwardly opening check valve ||2 and one downwardly opening check valve I3. The latter controls a connection III to the receiver. In this case, as

the piston moves upwardly, air is drawn into the cylinder past valve ||2 and on the descent of the piston, is forced past valve ||3 through conduit ||4 to the receiver so as to add to the pressure in the latter.

In Figure 14 the cylinder ||5 has a number of ports ||6 adjacent the upper extremity of one of its side walls, these ports being controlled by. a slide valve I1 which may be operated in the same manner as the receiver valve of Figures 6 and 8. 'Ihe receiver is also adapted to be placed in connection with the combustion chamber through an opening in the cylinder head 'normally closed by a spring-pressed valve I8; Exhaust ports are shown at I 9. In this case the valve |8 is opened by pressure atthe top of the power stroke and immediately afterward valve ||1 is moved upto the open position shown, closing again after the predetermined travel of the piston on its power stroke. As the piston approaches the bottom of its travel it uncovers exhaust ports ||9 and the gases are largely exhausted. The residue is recompressed past valve ||8 into the receiver.

The receiver volume may be varied by providing different end caps, as indicated in Figure 15. In thisfigure, reference numeral 91h designates a nat cap, 31c an outwardly dished cap, and 31d a cap which is still more outwardly dished. A f

In Figure 16 I have shown-a two-cycle engine provided. with a, receiver |20 constituting the cylinder head. The receiver valve |2| is indicated as operating in the same manner as in Figure 1.

but in this case the closing cam |22 will, of

course. be rotated at the speed of the crank shaft.

It may be mentioned that in order to reduce resistance to the ow of gases through the receivervalve, a relatively large valve .should be used. or a plurality of valves may be provided. Any kind of supercharging known to the art may be adopted. The exhaust turbine may be utilized to drive the super-charger or for other purposes, for example, to drive a compressor to boost the pressure in the receiver, or to supply air to the starting accumulator."

The invention is applicable to internal combustion engines of the two or fou-r cycle type, single or double acting, cooled by air or Water or otherwise. Tappet, piston, sleeve, rotary or plain slide valves may be utilized according to preference. Fuel supply may be by Carburation or injection, and ignition may be accomplished by electric spark or by compression, or both combined. While in some of the embodiments, I have shown starting accumulators, the engine may, of course, be started by an electric starter or in any other manner. In the use of an electric startery the compensator valve mechanism can have the simplified form shown, for example, in Figure 1, wherein the combustion `pressure is utilized as the means for opening the valve and the valve is closed at the proper point by a cam. It will be understood that the intake and exhaust provi-` sions may be entirely-c'onventional, the intake and exhaust valves being operated and timed in the usual manner.

From the above it will be seen that many variations are possible in the application of the invention, and, accordingly, I do not limit myself to details of construction or arrangement, except as in the following claims.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 136,182, filed April 10, 1937.

I claim:

l. The combination with an internal combustion engine including a cylinder, a reciprocating piston in said cylinder, said piston and cylinder defining a combustion chamber and the piston travel being such that at the top of its stroke, substantially no combustion space exists between the piston and the cylinder, and charging and exhaust provisions, of a compensator receiver in connection with said combustion chamber and in which pressure is built up as the result of the combustion of fuel introduced into said chamber, a valve for controlling flow from said receiver to said chamber, means for opening said valve at the start of the power stroke, and means for closing said valve after a predetermined extent of travel of said piston during the power stroke, said receiver having a volume sufficiently greater than the volume of said combustion chamber at the end of said predetermined travel of said piston so that substantially constant pressure is maintained in the chamber during the period said valve is open.

2. The combination with an internal combustion engine including a cylinder,a reciprocating piston in said cylinder, said cylinder and piston defining a combustion chamber, and charging and exhaust; provisions, of a compensator receiver in connection with said combustion chamber, a valve controlling said connection and adapted to automatically open the same as the result of combustion in said chamber so that pressure is built up in said compensator receiver, and means for closing said valve after a predetermined travel of said piston during the power stroke, said compensator receiver having a volume sufliciently greater than the volume of said combustion chamber at the end of said predetermined travel of said piston so that substantially constant pressure is maintained in the chamber during the period said valve is open.

3. The combination with an internal combustion engine including a cylinder, a reciprocating piston in said cylinder, said cylinder and piston defining a combustion chamber, and charging and exhaust provisions, of a compensator receiver in connection with the combustion chamber, a valve controlling the connection and opening to admit pressure to `said compensator receiver as a result of combustion in said chamber, a second valve independent of the first for controlling iiow from said receiver to said chamber, and means for controlling said second valve so that it is open only during a predetermined travel of said piston during the power stroke, said receiver having a volurne sufficiently greater than that of said combustion chamber when the piston is at the end of its predetermined travel so that substantially constant pressure is maintained in the chamber during the period said second valve is open.

4. The combination with a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine including reciprocating pistons in the cylinders and defining combustion chambers therewith and the travel of the pistons in their associated cylinders being such that at the top of their stroke, substantially no combustion space exists between the respective plstons and cylinders, and charging and exhaust provisions, of a compensator receiver in connection with all of the combustion chambers and in which pressure is built up as the result of the combustion of fuel introduced into said chambers, valves for controlling flow from said receiver to said chambers respectively, said valves being adapted to be opened at the start of the power stroke of their associated pistons, and means for closing said valves after a predetermined travel of the associated pistons during their power stroke, said receiver having a volume sufllciently greater than the volume of each one of the combustion chambers at the end of the predetermined piston travel so that substantially constant pressure is maintained in the chambers during the period the valves are open.

5. The combination with a multiple-cylinder internal combustion engine including reciprocating pistons in said cylinders and defining combustion chambers with the latter, and charging and exhaust provisions, of a compensator receiver in connection with the combustion chambers, valves controlling the connection between the receiver and the respective chambers, means for controlling said valves so that each is opened at the start of the power stroke of its associated piston and then closed after the piston has traveled a predetermined distance on its power stroke, said receiver having a volume sumciently larger than that of each combustion chamber at the end of said predetermined travel so that substantially constant pressure is maintained in the chambers during the period the valves are open, an accumulator charged from the combustion chambers, and a valved connection between the accumulator and the compensator receiver so that starting pressure can be admitted through the latter to the combustion chambers.

6. The combination with an internal combustion engine, including a cylinder, a reciprocating piston in said cylinder, said cylinder and piston defining a combustion chamber at the top of the piston and a compression chamber below the piston, and charging and exhaust provisions, of a compensator receiver in connection with the combustion chamber and in which pressure is built up as the result of the combustion o'f fuel introduced into said combustion chamber, a valve for controlling flow from said receiver to said combustion chamber, said valve being adapted to be opened at the start of the power stroke,

means for closing said valve after a predeter mined travel of said piston during the power stroke, a connection between said compression chamber and said receiver, and a check valve in the last mentioned connection permitting flow \from the compression chamber to the receiver,

ypiston and a compression chamber below the piston. and charging and exhaust provisions. oi a compensator receiver in connection with the combustion chamber and in which pressure is built up as the result of the combustion oi' fuel introduced into said combustion chamber, a valve for controlling iiow from said receiver to said combustion chamber, said valve being adapted to be opened at the start of the power stroke, means for closing said valve after a predetermined travel of said piston during the power` stroke, a connection between said compression chamber and said combustion chamber, and a check valve in the last named connection perf mitting iiow from the compression chamber to the combustion chamber, said'receiver having a volume sufficiently greater than the volume of said combustion chamber at the end of said predetermined piston travel so that substantially constant pressure is maintained in the combustion chamber during the period said valve is Open.

THEODORE O. STRAUSS. 

